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Why carmakers want to keep #apple and #google at arm’s length

The splashiest auto news coming out of CES and the North American International Auto Show has been about new models, self-driving tech, and wild concepts. But in a quieter series of moves, automakers also continued to strengthen their control over what it is we’re able to do inside our cars, particularly when it comes to the apps that run on infotainment systems.

Though carmakers have generally embraced Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto, many are hoping to establish an alternative app system that will be almost entirely under their purview. Automakers bill it as a move to create a seamless experience for their customers, but others in the industry see it as a way to cut Apple and Google out of the equation, so that vehicle…